I don't remember "celebrating" this holiday as a youngster (in the 
40's & 50's), either. And it is only in the last 10-15 yrs that I 
have been exposed to this custom.
In the past two years the Smithsonian has had public programs for 
DDLM, (one day affairs) with music (strolling mariachi), dance, 
displays, and crafts.
The Mexican Cultural Institute (Washington, DC), in the building that 
formerly housed the Embassy of Mexico, have hosted a DDLM exhibit the 
past 3 yrs - with a magnificent altar in their blue & white tiled sun 
room, reception, and music. Last year there was even a woman dressed 
as La Catrina.
About 6 or 7 yrs ago I began putting up an altar in my yard (then 
moved it to the porch). I would put it up a day or two before 
Halloween - so trick or treaters would get an education when they 
came for their treats. I deviated from the standard of remembering 
and honor family members by remembering friends and family who had 
died in the previous 12 months - I would just

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the ranchos 
group.

  File        : /ZZZ Group Management/Updating Genealogy Files 
  Uploaded by : makas_nc  
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Regards,

makas_nc 
 

You're welcome, Maria..."puesto" is a way of saying "place".  I think it's sort of a neutral word.  At least that's how I understand it.

David Delgado  in Albany, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: readysetgo95814 
Sent: Jul 1, 2005 11:43 PM
To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [ranchos] Re: What is a Rancho???





David,



Thanks for the explanation.  I had been wondering about the 

term "Estancia".  I've also seen "Estanzuela" and I would guess it 

derived from the word "Estancia"?  The other term I've come across 

is "Puesto".  I picture that to be even smaller than a Rancho, but I 

am not sure.  I really haven't looked into it.  Does anyone know?



Maria Cortez

Elk Grove, CA



--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, "David P. Delgado"  

wrote:

> Joseph,

> 

> I think that the closest English equivalent of "rancho" is "town".  

The word town is as small and varied as the word "rancho". 

Hi Natalie,

I particularly enjoyed you posting because it reminded
me of my growing up years (I'm now 55).  Both my
parents were born in the U.S. Dad (3rd of 4
children)was born in New Mexico and his parents were
from Zacatecas (Sain Alto and Nochistlan~came to the
U.S. in 1910 and 1908 respectively).  My Mom (7th of 8
children) was born in California and her parents were
from Mocorito, Sinaloa, (they came to California in
1922).  My Dad's side of the family seemed to
incorporate less meat and more fruits and vegetables
in their "much more simple" meals, where my Mom's
family routinely celebrated with the type of food you
have mentioned.  My family and my Mom's siblings and
their families all lived within a 20 mile radius of my
grandparents home and each Sunday (and all holidays)
the entire family would get together for Sunday dinner
at my "Nana and Tata's" home.  This is where the food
you mentioned was commonly served (carnitas, frijoles
de olla, birria, cabeza, cesos, lengua

Dear Natalie,

What an interesting post. My Scots mother learned to make flour tortillas from her in-laws. My Tia Offie makes lengua, and it is very tasty. I haven't tasted her cooking in over 20 years because Tia Offie no longer cooks.



When my grandkids are over here, I feed them Peanut Butter and Jelly burritos. They're my favorite snack. Marge:)

On Jul 2, 2005, at 12:36 PM, Natalie wrote:

WOW! 300+ posts in June, and it is only July 2, and there are already

31 posts! Bring it on!

The food postings have been very interesting, and has caused me to

reflect on why I cook as I do. My father is my Zacatecas connection;

he came to the U.S. in 1916 as a 4 yr. old - his mother died when he

was 17 yrs. old, so I am sure she impacted his culinary tastes and

traditions. (My mother was born in Calif. - her mother was from

Mexico, but I don't know where; my mother was 5 yrs. old when her

mother died; I was almost 12 yrs. when my mother died. I remember her

as being a good

WOW! 300+ posts in June, and it is only July 2, and there are already 
31 posts! Bring it on!
The food postings have been very interesting, and has caused me to 
reflect on why I cook as I do. My father is my Zacatecas connection; 
he came to the U.S. in 1916 as a 4 yr. old - his mother died when he 
was 17 yrs. old, so I am sure she impacted his culinary tastes and 
traditions. (My mother was born in Calif. - her mother was from 
Mexico, but I don't know where; my mother was 5 yrs. old when her 
mother died; I was almost 12 yrs. when my mother died. I remember her 
as being a good cook - she made flour tortillas everyday, a skill I 
NEVER learned; I don't know her culinary traditions.) Back to my 
father: he loved carnitas, frijoles de olla, birria, cabeza, cesos, 
lengua, capirotada, to name a few. Growing up, these were foods eaten 
only on special occasions or holidays. When I first came to Virginia 
in the late 60's, the only tortillas available were frozen corn 
tortillas!! By

I had to chuckle, a little, when I was reading these two stories about your Dads'  and their disinterest in returning to a gravesite of loved ones.  As you all know, my mother was English/Irish.  My Mother also believed in not returning to where the dead were buried.  I once asked her why she would not visit any of our families gravesites to plant flowers, etc;...her response was, "Why?...they are not there; the next time I see them I will join them in Heaven!"  Needless to say, that was the END of that conversation!  It just goes to show, our ancestors of old had shared some very common beliefs, no matter what continent they were born!  haha!

Carol Lester

-----Original Message-----
From: readysetgo95814 
Sent: Jul 2, 2005 2:24 AM
To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [ranchos] Re: Margarita's rememberance of Jerez, Zacatecas

Wow Irma, your Dad sounds just like mine.  The last time I went to 
San Nicolas with him I asked about going to the cemetery where my 
grandfather is

David,

Thanks for the explanation.  I had been wondering about the 
term "Estancia".  I've also seen "Estanzuela" and I would guess it 
derived from the word "Estancia"?  The other term I've come across 
is "Puesto".  I picture that to be even smaller than a Rancho, but I 
am not sure.  I really haven't looked into it.  Does anyone know?

Maria Cortez
Elk Grove, CA

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, "David P. Delgado"  
wrote:
> Joseph,
> 
> I think that the closest English equivalent of "rancho" is "town".  
The word town is as small and varied as the word "rancho".  A town 
can be anything from a single dwelling to a formally organized group 
of homes and families with formal organization.  I think it's 
important to keep in mind that some words in use today are holdovers 
from long ago.  For example, "villa" meant a community with at least 
25 white european families as permanent residents.  Permission had to 
petitioned from the Spanish Crown to be granted such

Wow Irma, your Dad sounds just like mine.  The last time I went to 
San Nicolas with him I asked about going to the cemetery where my 
grandfather is buried and he had no interest in doing that. He asked 
me why I wanted to go.  I explained to him that I might find some 
valuable genealogical information there.  He said there were not many 
headstones and there were mostly wooden crosses on otherwise unmarked 
graves.  I still would like to go and see for myself and plan do so 
sometime in the future.

I also asked him about dia de los Muertos and why we were never told 
about or practiced the custom. He replied that he never did either. 
When I asked him what my grandparents did to honor the dead he told 
me that they prayed the Rosary.  Now that I am researching our 
genealogy and have found that for the last 300 to 500 years our 
ancestors were Catholic I understand the reason.

Maria

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, Irma GomezLucero  
wrote:
> I envy you Linda.